Talks - Caring for the Dying

Caring for the Dying

Caring for the Dying

Satguru Sivaya Subramuniyaswami
, 2000-01-31

Gurudeva answers another e-devotee's question today, this one from a doctor. It's about caring for those who are preparing to depart. When attending to a dying person, how do we know if we are interfering with their natural karmas or helping them through them? How do we know what kind of karma we are creating for ourself? This is a topical area of concern of many today. We all should know the answer. Tamil Translation.

Unedited Transcript:

The question is, "Shall we help someone during the process of transition into the inner world or should we just let them make that transition by themselves?"

This is dependent upon the condition of the individual at the time of their departure. At the time of departure of an individual, those surrounding the individual are actually in a high state of consciousness. They are not in their intellectual, thinking mind. They will respond according to the impulses within them, appropriately.

A person may be so far gone that it is easily seen that this soul is a departing soul, and within minutes will disconnect from the physical body. Those around that soul will know that and not interfere with the disconnection. But, if they are not sure, they will do everything they can to help maintain the longevity. True, there is a karma in every action, which produces a reaction. But, at the time of transition, people are not in their thinking mind. They are not in their intellectual mind. They are not in the mind that calculates what kind of karma will produce what. They are acting spontaneously, intuitively and their soul-force is blending with the soul-force of the departing loved one, who knows what is going to happen.

Further, each individual has to satisfy himself, according to whether he is steeped into the Western beliefs, a mixture of Asian beliefs and Western beliefs as to departure, or whether he has full understanding of the Asian way of looking at life and death. He has to satisfy himself, because he has to live with himself in the years to come, knowing that he did the best, according to his upbringing and memory patterns.

The mystery of life and death have confounded humanity, perhaps since the beginning of humanity on this planet. Each one has to come to terms, with their own personal understanding, according to Vedic knowledge or Western misunderstandings.Date : January 31 2000

Title: Caring for those preparing to depart

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The question is, "Shall we help someone during the process of transition into the inner world or should we just let them make that transition by themselves?"

This is dependent upon the condition of the individual at the time of their departure. At the time of departure of an individual, those surrounding the individual are actually in a high state of consciousness. They are not in their intellectual, thinking mind. They will respond according to the impulses within them, appropriately.

A person may be so far gone that it is easily seen that this soul is a departing soul, and within minutes will disconnect from the physical body. Those around that soul will know that and not interfere with the disconnection. But, if they are not sure, they will do everything they can to help maintain the longevity. True, there is a karma in every action, which produces a reaction. But, at the time of transition, people are not in their thinking mind. They are not in their intellectual mind. They are not in the mind that calculates what kind of karma will produce what. They are acting spontaneously, intuitively and their soul-force is blending with the soul-force of the departing loved one, who knows what is going to happen.

Further, each individual has to satisfy himself, according to whether he is steeped into the Western beliefs, a mixture of Asian beliefs and Western beliefs as to departure, or whether he has full understanding of the Asian way of looking at life and death. He has to satisfy himself, because he has to live with himself in the years to come, knowing that he did the best, according to his upbringing and memory patterns.

The mystery of life and death have confounded humanity, perhaps since the beginning of humanity on this planet. Each one has to come to terms, with their own personal understanding, according to Vedic knowledge or Western misunderstandings.